Jack plug



March 19, 1929. p, FORTIN JACK PLUG Filed Feb. 21, 1924 H y m m m no m F; M M. 1 L P w a, 2 0 B wlk W l Patented Mar. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES PAUL R. FOBTIN,

OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

JACK PLUG.

Application filed February 21, 1924. Serial 1V0. 694,424.

The present invention relates to jack plugs such as are adapted for use with telephone switchboards and for other purposes for readily making circuit connections.

As telephone switchboards are customarily operated, the jack plugs have their flexible leads permanently connected thereto and usually b soldered joints. However, a jack plug to be generally useful to a wireless amateur is constructed to permit read connection and disconnection with the exible leads of a variety of apparatus.

The object of my invention is the production of an improved jack plug to which flexible leads may be firmly connected and freel disconnected by simple manipulation, whic shall fully insulate all metallic parts liable to be touched by the user, which shall be of simple, compact and hardy construction and which shall be of low cost of manufacture.

One embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Fi 1 is a perspective view of a complete plug wit the flexible leads connected thereto; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the current-carrying parts shown detached from the insulating handle; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale of the complete plug with one of the flexible lead tips in position; Fig. 4 is a right-hand elevation thereof, and Fig. 5 is a cross section of the insulating handle taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

The handle 1 is a single piece of vulcanite or insulating compound and of rectangular cross section with a central bore 2 extending axially thereof, a e lindrical chamber 3 on each side and exten ing inwardly from a. recess & in the front or right-hand end. Side pockets 5 extend inwardly from opposite edges and into alignment with the chambers 3 and with their rear end walls 6 provided with inclines 7 and longitudinal notches 8. A transverse recess 9 near the rear end intersects with the central bore 2 and the wall between it and the end of the plug is provided with a narrow notch 10.

The current-carrying parts comprise two internal contact plungers 11 and 12 having conical recesses 13 at their rear ends and reduced cylindrical extensions 14 at their righthand ends to engage helical springs 15 and 16. The plungers 11 and 12 and their sprin s are of a size to move freely back and forth in the chambers 3 of the handle.

The spring 16 is attached at its'opposite end to a fiat metal bracket 17 located in the recess 4 of the handle and provided with a slot 18 extending from its inner edge to render it slightly springy transversel so as to make good contact Withthe sides of t e lon itudinal pin 19 passing through an aperture t erein.

The spring 15 is attached to a bent bracket 20 having at its inner end a relatively large aperture 21 for the rece tion of an insulatin bushing 22 provided with a head 23 adapte to bear at its inner end against the flat bracket 17.

Over-lying and pressing against the bent bracket 20 is a metal cap 24 which closes the outer end of the recess 4: in the handle and provided with a central aperture through which the bushing 21 extends.

A cylindrical external contact sleeve 25 fits over the bushing 22 and bears at its inner end against the cap 24, while at its outer end t is provided with a second bushing 26 hav ing a shoulder 27 bearing against the end of the sleeve 25.

The external contact pin 19 has a head 28 and is threaded through the bushings 26 and 22 and the central bore 2 of the base and into the transverse recess 9 where it'is permanently attached by spinning over, as indicated'at 29, and thereby securely fastening the several current-carrying parts to the handle.

The flexible leads 30 are shown provided with common cord tips comprising a pin 31 and a sleeve 32. A pair of such leads are usually bound together by fibrous braid 33, while a tie cord 34 is connected thereto and provided with a knot at its free end which is adapted to be received in the notch 9 and bear against the end walls at the sides of the notch 10.

The cord tips are connected to the plug by first entering the pin 31 through a pocket 5v and into the conical recess 13 of a plunger contact 11 or 12, and upon pressing longitudinally thereon the spring is compressed and the rear end of the tip sleeve 32 is then forced me down the inclined end wall 7 of the pocket while the flexible cord 30 passes through the notch 8 therein.

While I have shown and described the best embodiment of the invention known to me, 5 I do not desire to be restricted thereto.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A jack plug comprising external plug.

contacts, axially yieldable internal contacts 110 tacts, and an insulating handle supporting said external contacts and enclosing said internal contacts, and having opposite said ina ternal contacts side pockets with inwardly inclined end walls adapted to engage the rear ends of said cord tips and displaceably retain them at the bottoms of said pockets.

2. A jack lug comprising a one-piece insulating han 1e provided with an end recess, two longitudinal chambers and side pockets in alignment with said chambers, longitudinally ieldable plunger contacts located in said chambers, external pin and sleeve contacts insulated from each other and respectively connected electrically to said plunger contacts.

3. In a plug of the telephone type, comprising an external contact portion adapted to be inserted in a spring jack, an insulating handle for said contact portion provided with a side pocket, and an axially movable spring contact within the pocket to engage a pintype cord tip, locking means including the rear end wall of said pocket, said spring contact being electrically connected to said external contact portion and acting to move said cord tip axially into locking engagement with said locking means.

,4. A telephone plug comprising a tip contact, a sleeve contact, spring-pressed contacts cooperating with each of said tip and sleeve contacts and movable in the same general direction as said tip and sleeve contacts but offset therefrom, and a handle portion adapted to house said spring pressed contacts in cavities adapted to receive telephone cord tips in positions to be axially engaged by said spring pressed contacts, said cavities being provided with side entrance openings having inwardly inclined walls adapted to cooperate with the rear ends of said cord tips.

5. An electric connector comprising an insulating body having a side pocket for receiving and protecting a cord tip from personal contact, the wall at the rear end of said pocket having a longitudinal slot of a width to permit the cord but not the tip to pass therethrough, and provisions at the forward .end of said pocket for making electrical connection with said cord tip and yieldingly pressing it longitudinally into engagement with the slotted rear wall of said pocket.

6. An electrical connector comprising a one piece insulating body provided axially thereof with a central bore and a side pocket, a spring-pressed conta'ct in said pocket, a jack contact outside said body and connected to said spring contact, and a pin anchored in said central bore of the body and serving to anchor the said contacts thereto.

7. A jack plug comprising an insulating handle, plug contacts mounted externally on said handle. internal contacts mounted within said handle and respectively connected to said plug contacts, and said handle having pockets in the opposite edge walls thereof for receiving cord tips and permitting engagement thereof with said internal contacts, and longitudinal notches extending from the ends of the respective pockets and opening through edge and end walls of said handle for the reception of the wires connected to the respective cord tips. I

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of February, 1924.

PAUL R. FORTIN. 

